Campus life, Indian student community, food options, and day-to-day living at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan.
Practical information about day-to-day life while pursuing MBBS at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy. This covers the campus environment, accommodation, daily living and available safety and student-support services.
The IMDP curriculum is built around a shared preclinical foundation for the first five semesters, followed by a choice of four specialization tracks from year 2 onward: a General track, a Medicine and Surgery track with early clinical exposure, a Global Health track focused on healthcare management and access to medicine, and a Translational Research track centered on lab-based and bioinformatics work. The final semester is kept free of classes so students can complete an independent thesis project, which can be carried out at UniSR or at a partner institution abroad. English is the official language of instruction, but the university requires B1-level Italian proficiency by the end of year 2 because clinical rotations involve direct patient interaction in Italian, and an Italian course is provided to international students during the first two years. Campus life includes student sports teams (rugby and running teams are mentioned by current students), clubs, and an international student mix that current IMDP students describe as close-knit.
UniSR maintains two dedicated student residences, Cascina Melghera and Cassinella, both converted historic Lombardy farmhouses. Cascina Melghera offers single rooms with private bathrooms and is close to the main university building, while Cassinella is a larger residence (around a 20-minute walk or short drive from campus, in Vimodrone) offering more rooms. Both halls provide furnished single rooms with a desk, wardrobe, safety box and mini-fridge, plus shared breakfast rooms, study rooms, a gym, and recreation space. Rooms are allocated through an annual application/call process and are offered for the full academic year rather than short stays; the university does not run its own accommodation office for off-campus housing, so students who don't secure a residence hall room are directed to general Milan rental resources (such as YesMilano) and Erasmus-partner platforms for private apartments.
Milan has one of Italy's largest Indian and South Asian communities, and students consistently describe it as the easiest Italian city for accessing Indian groceries and food. Indian grocery stores such as Krishna Indian Bazaar (Porta Venezia) stock staples like basmati rice, lentils, and spices, and the city has a number of established Indian restaurants (including long-running venues such as Rangoli and South Indian specialists like Saravanaa Bhavan) alongside newer chef-led options. Student WhatsApp and Facebook groups are commonly used to find home-cooked tiffin services from the local Indian community, which is a practical option for students who want regular home-style meals rather than eating out.
Milan is generally regarded as one of the safer major Italian cities for students, with violent crime uncommon; the more realistic day-to-day risk cited by residents and safety guides is petty theft and pickpocketing, particularly on crowded metro lines and around busy central areas like Stazione Centrale and the Duomo, especially after dark. Guides for international students and expats point to a few specific neighborhoods with higher reported crime, such as Quarto Oggiaro, San Siro, and Corvetto, that are generally avoided for housing. Students are advised to take standard city precautions (avoid displaying valuables on public transport, be alert in crowded tourist areas at night) rather than expecting rural-level safety, but overall Milan is not considered a high-risk city for international students. UniSR's International Office supports incoming students with pre-arrival guidance, help navigating Milan, and contacts for accommodation and other logistics, though it does not manage a dedicated housing office for off-campus apartments. The university provides academic tutoring, disability and learning-support tutoring, and career/placement guidance as part of its standard student services. Because UniSR does not offer its own international scholarship program, students needing financial aid are pointed toward external routes such as the Lombardy regional (DSU) scholarship scheme that UniSR administers on behalf of Lombardy Region and the Ministry of Universities and Research (need- and merit-based, primarily for first-time enrollees) or their home-country loan/scholarship schemes.
Applying to Vita-Salute San Raffaele University?
Students Traffic verifies seat availability, checks current recognition status, and prepares your complete application for Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. The consultation is free.
Campus life, Indian student community, food options, and day-to-day living at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan.
Practical information about day-to-day life while pursuing MBBS at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy. This covers the campus environment, accommodation, daily living and available safety and student-support services.
The IMDP curriculum is built around a shared preclinical foundation for the first five semesters, followed by a choice of four specialization tracks from year 2 onward: a General track, a Medicine and Surgery track with early clinical exposure, a Global Health track focused on healthcare management and access to medicine, and a Translational Research track centered on lab-based and bioinformatics work. The final semester is kept free of classes so students can complete an independent thesis project, which can be carried out at UniSR or at a partner institution abroad. English is the official language of instruction, but the university requires B1-level Italian proficiency by the end of year 2 because clinical rotations involve direct patient interaction in Italian, and an Italian course is provided to international students during the first two years. Campus life includes student sports teams (rugby and running teams are mentioned by current students), clubs, and an international student mix that current IMDP students describe as close-knit.
UniSR maintains two dedicated student residences, Cascina Melghera and Cassinella, both converted historic Lombardy farmhouses. Cascina Melghera offers single rooms with private bathrooms and is close to the main university building, while Cassinella is a larger residence (around a 20-minute walk or short drive from campus, in Vimodrone) offering more rooms. Both halls provide furnished single rooms with a desk, wardrobe, safety box and mini-fridge, plus shared breakfast rooms, study rooms, a gym, and recreation space. Rooms are allocated through an annual application/call process and are offered for the full academic year rather than short stays; the university does not run its own accommodation office for off-campus housing, so students who don't secure a residence hall room are directed to general Milan rental resources (such as YesMilano) and Erasmus-partner platforms for private apartments.
Milan has one of Italy's largest Indian and South Asian communities, and students consistently describe it as the easiest Italian city for accessing Indian groceries and food. Indian grocery stores such as Krishna Indian Bazaar (Porta Venezia) stock staples like basmati rice, lentils, and spices, and the city has a number of established Indian restaurants (including long-running venues such as Rangoli and South Indian specialists like Saravanaa Bhavan) alongside newer chef-led options. Student WhatsApp and Facebook groups are commonly used to find home-cooked tiffin services from the local Indian community, which is a practical option for students who want regular home-style meals rather than eating out.
Milan is generally regarded as one of the safer major Italian cities for students, with violent crime uncommon; the more realistic day-to-day risk cited by residents and safety guides is petty theft and pickpocketing, particularly on crowded metro lines and around busy central areas like Stazione Centrale and the Duomo, especially after dark. Guides for international students and expats point to a few specific neighborhoods with higher reported crime, such as Quarto Oggiaro, San Siro, and Corvetto, that are generally avoided for housing. Students are advised to take standard city precautions (avoid displaying valuables on public transport, be alert in crowded tourist areas at night) rather than expecting rural-level safety, but overall Milan is not considered a high-risk city for international students. UniSR's International Office supports incoming students with pre-arrival guidance, help navigating Milan, and contacts for accommodation and other logistics, though it does not manage a dedicated housing office for off-campus apartments. The university provides academic tutoring, disability and learning-support tutoring, and career/placement guidance as part of its standard student services. Because UniSR does not offer its own international scholarship program, students needing financial aid are pointed toward external routes such as the Lombardy regional (DSU) scholarship scheme that UniSR administers on behalf of Lombardy Region and the Ministry of Universities and Research (need- and merit-based, primarily for first-time enrollees) or their home-country loan/scholarship schemes.
Applying to Vita-Salute San Raffaele University?
Students Traffic verifies seat availability, checks current recognition status, and prepares your complete application for Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. The consultation is free.
